In the prior art, some artificial feeding systems devised to prevent the development of maxillofacial disorders are available. Reference may be made, for example, to WO2004/026219, describing a teat intended to maintain normal dentition and normal jaw development in infants. This teat comprises a bulb, an isthmus of a thickness less than the thickness of prior teats, and a skirt. WO2004/026219 specifies that, given that the isthmus extends from the outer skirt to the bulb, this teat prevents the infant from developing malocclusions (see WO2004/026219 page 4, line 35 and page 5, line 3).
Some systems attempt to reproduce or imitate breastfeeding: for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,228 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,912. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,228, the upper part of the teat, i.e. the areola and the nipple, can be moved under the baby's sucking action, since the lower part has a thinner region acting as a spring. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,912, grooves provided in the lower part of the teat enable pulling of the nipple.
However, in both systems, the movements of the areola and the end do not actually imitate the movement of breastfeeding.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,770 describe an asymmetric teat comprising an isthmus and an areola which is concave in the lower part thereof and convex in the upper part thereof, requiring pressure from the infant during feeding. Nevertheless, this specific teat arrangement does not make it possible to reproduce natural breastfeeding action faithfully. Indeed, the movement of the tongue induced by the teat according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,770 is a piston movement against the palate, with the tongue in the posterior position, giving rise to deformation of the palate. On the other hand, the natural movement of the tongue during feeding is a peristaltic movement. In addition, the posterior position of the tongue induced by the teat according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,770 prevents correct posterior closure of the oral cavity, giving rises to otitis and false passage phenomena.
WO 2004/010921 describes an asymmetric teat, making it possible, by means of the material from which it is formed, and the presence of specific means, particularly air inlets, to reduce the feeding effort, particularly by removing any breathing difficulties for the infant. However, the technical means used by this teat are completely different from those according to the present invention.
Moreover, commercially available teats and soothers, claimed to be “orthodontic” or “physiological”, have no medical validation in support of these claims. Studies have demonstrated the lack of a significant difference between so-called physiological teats and soothers and conventional teats (“Evaluation des effets des sucettes orthodontiques sur la dentition lactéale d'enfants âgés de 24 à 59 mois”, Adair & Milano & Dushku).
At the present time, none of the teats on the market enables natural suckling muscle function: on these teats, the baby exerts pressure with the tongue on the palate with a piston movement and significant endobuccal depression associated with abnormal cheek muscle action. The disturbance of the natural function has medium-term repercussions on the infant's growth and long-term repercussions on health: on the physical health, firstly (jawbone, facial growth defect, oral breathing, postural joint disorders) and also on mental and psychological health (“Impact de l'allaitement maternel sur le développement cognitif de l′enfant”, the effect is dose-dependent: santeallaitementmaternel.com). WHO defines mental health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease”.
This invention aims at reproducing all the functions fulfilled by breastfeeding, on both a physical and psychological level.
In view of the systems currently on the market, there is a clear need for a teat making it possible to reproduce the muscle action produced by the infant during breastfeeding, particularly of the lips, cheeks, and more generally the facial muscles, tongue and masticatory muscles, observe the infant's oral anatomy and thus prevent the appearance of maxillofacial development disorders and dental arch relationship disorders and improve the subjects' general health.
Especially, the invention intends to reproduce the natural peristaltic movement of the tongue. The natural peristaltic movement of the tongue creates a wave at the centre of the roll formed by the infant's tongue, curved around the nipple when in the suckling position.
In psychological terms, the Applicant intends to meet the infant's basic need for physical contact by reducing the distance between mother and infant which is frequently increased in the case of artificial feeding, making it possible to retain the natural olfactory, auditory, visual and dermal stimulations of feeding.
Some studies have demonstrated that prolonged contact time between mother and infant significantly promotes bonding between mother and infant and the cognitive development of the infant. Observation of the mother and infant during breast or artificial feeding demonstrates that the postural adjustment of some mothers gives rise to awkwardness and discomfort, for both mother and infant. The present invention thus also seeks to optimise mother-infant postural adjustment.